Coronavirus now poses threat to environment

Hyderabad: Despite a ban on manufacture of plastic bags of less than 50 microns in thickness and single-use plastic items such as spoons, plates and other items, the regulations are followed more in breach than in adherence. Covid-related plastic waste items are piling up across the city during and after lockdown.

Plastic manufacturers across the city state that there is rampant growth in terms of use of these items. However, the same is not the case with their sales, they contend. Anil Reddy Vennam, vice-president (South), All India Plastic Manufacturers Association, says, "There is around 40 per cent rise in terms of usage of single-use plastic items across the city and the state. Since the beginning of lockdown in March people started giving preference to plastic items as an alternative to many daily goods."

According to the association, there are around 2,000 reprocessing units in the city out of which around 1,500 are running since lockdown. "The units have recovered 60 to 80 percent of their work since the lockdown was called off in the state," adds Anil. Since then, demand for items like plastic spoons, plates, parcel bags, containers, non woven fabric has gone considerably up.

The president of Telangana Plastic Manufacturers Association, Vimlesh Gupta, opines that people are increasingly making use of plastic items as an alternative to re-usable items in view of Covid concerns. "The government needs to enforce certain norms to bring about change in situation suiting the interests of people as well as environment," said Vimlesh.

The government for its part claims it is doing everything to curb use of single-use plastic items. But the reality is to the contrary. Discarded plastic items such as syringes, gloves, masks, PPE kits can be found galore across the city, posing serious threat to environment. "Now some manufacturers are producing banned plastic bags to meet the demand in the market. The association tried in vain to meet up with higher civic body officials to discuss the same and suggest remedies," rued Gupta.